


Deliver Us from Madness

by takehiko_arashi



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Relationship, Bullying, DEAL WITH IT, Homosexuality, Multi, high school life, kissing cousins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-02 06:22:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2802677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takehiko_arashi/pseuds/takehiko_arashi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Each of them had their own hidden trauma, buried deep within themselves; just hoping to be released, but denied every opportunity. Uchiha Sasuke was bombarded every day by his parents yelling at him to be more like his aniki. Uzumaki Naruto was still haunted by the death of his parents, having witnessed the accident a the tender age of six. Hatake Kakashi was still traumatized by his father's suicide and the deaths of his closest friends, even at the age of 26. Hyuuga Neji still withheld his anger at his uncle for causing his fathers death. Haruno Sakura was bullied by everyone, including her best friend. Hyuuga Hinata was abused and tormented for being soft and kind at heart.<br/>Can these lonely souls find comfort in the joys of a relationship - with one another? Can their counterparts heal their broken hearts, along with fighting the daily torture of school life?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Silent Torture

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Walk on Broken Glass](https://archiveofourown.org/works/833815) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 



> Hi, this is my first Naruto fanfic - so if I get some facts or names wrong, don't be afraid to correct me. Now, I understand I have very peculiar pairings, but please bear with me. This fanfic will be mainly Naruto/Sasuke, but there will be other pairings (as you can see from above). Please feel free to suggest anything you have in mind. Thank you! Oh, and just to clarify, all of them (Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, Neji and Sakura) are one big group of friends.

Plain blue paint covered the wall opposite the dining table; no pictures, no paintings and certainly no faded crayon drawings. The Uchiha living room was completely barren, except for the huge dining table in the middle, which could easily fit ten people, yet there were only four. Sasuke's father, Fugaku, always said, _'The bigger the better.'_ In most cases that motto worked, but not in Fugaku's case. When he bought their house he said that exact motto and where did it get him? In debt. Just _great_ , wasn't it?

"Sasuke, how was school?" A voice snapped him out of his trance.

"What?" Sasuke looked around, his eyes trying to focus on the one speaking.

Itachi looked at him through weary eyes, his thin eyebrow lifting slightly. It was almost elegant. Itachi had always been princely; doing everything delicately, always managing to keep his hands clean, no matter what the circumstances. Sasuke remembered the time when he was about two - Itachi had taken Sasuke out to the park (because he was a _such_ a good brother) and was finally persuaded to sit on the swings with his little brother. Back then, Itachi had his hair cut in a short bob and his face was flawless. He kind of looked like a girl. It was funny...

Anyway, a boy in the park decided it would be funny to push Itachi's swing _really_ hard and make him fall off. Itachi just stood up, wiped off his brown cotton pants and turned around. He looked at the boy smirking evilly behind the swings. Sasuke's aniki just stared at him, expecting an apology. When none came, he did something unspeakable. Something so terrifying it almost made him wet himself. He _smiled_. And he did it so elegantly that it made it look like he rehearsed it in the mirror every morning.

"Sasuke!' Fugaku's booming voice knocked Sasuke out of his _flashback moment_. 'Your mother asked you a question!"

Sasuke looked down at his casserole, trying to cover his scowl. "Sorry, I was thinking. School was fine."

Mikoto raised her eyebrows in a similar manner to her eldest son's. "How is that friend of yours - Neji, was it? He's the top of your grade, isn't he?"

Sasuke looked up, trying to avoid gritting his teeth. She did this all the time; in order to show some interest in her son, she mentioned the only friend she acknowledged - Neji. And she always mixed up his grade with Sasuke's. It was infuriating. It was her way of showing how little Mikoto knew about her youngest son.

"No, mother,  _I'm_ top of my grade. Neji is in the grade above me. I've told you this before."

"Yes, I seem to recall something like that. Anyway, why don't you have any other friends? When Neji leaves what will you do?" Mikoto looked at her son from the other side of the table, a fake frown of worry plastered on his face.

"I have other friends," he said through clenched teeth. Then, under his breath, he said, "You just don't care enough to ask."

"Oh? What are these _friends_ names?"

"Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, Kakashi and... yeah. That's it."

"Oh? Fishcake, a cherry blossom and a sunflower? Honey, when you're thinking of names to give your fake friends at least try to come up with better ones."

Mikoto resisted the urge to shake her head disappointingly. Her son never had any friends, even in kindergarten. Itachi always had so many friends, so why didn't Sasuke have any? He only ever brought one person to the house - Neji - and that was to lend him a jacket for his Junior Prom. It was the closest thing Sasuke ever had to a friend, so Mikoto just accepted it. But she just couldn't let it go - Itachi had so many friends when he was younger; he used to bring friends over all the time. Why couldn't Sasuke do it? He was supposed to be the carbon copy of Itachi, yet he was almost the opposite. It was frustrating. 

"They're real," Sasuke said, taking an almost silent deep breath. Over the years he had learnt many tricks on how to suppress his frustration.  

"Oh!" Mikoto yelped, startled. "If they're so real, why don't you tell me about the first one - what was it? Naruto?"

"He lives alone after his parents died. He likes ramen and the colour orange. He was born on October the 10th. He works at Team Konoha."

"Hmm? Quite the soapie life. Parents died? Lives alone?" Mikoto raised her eyebrows until they disappeared into her hair. "Come on, what anime did you get that out of? One Piece? Bleach?"

Sasuke's mother looked around, her questioning eyes drifting towards Itachi and her husand's. Fugaku just managed to hide the small smirk at his wife's mocking tone. Itachi just ignored her and returned to his mushy food. This wasn't exactly what he had wanted when he came home from just finishing his degree in law. He had hoped his parents had eased up on his otouto, but apparently he hadn't wished hard enough on his _Nagareboshi_. Contrary to popular belief, he loved his little brother more than anyone and he didn't like to see him bullied - even if it was by his parents.

"I work at Team Konoha too, you would've seen him... If you bothered to ever come see me," Sasuke said, muttering the last part.

Mikoto plastered a smile on her face and stood up, gathering plates as she went around the table, and stopping at Sasuke's shoulder.

"Imaginary friends are nice, sweetie, but you're sixteen - why don't you go find yourself some real friends?"

Sasuke clenched his teeth and swore he felt smoke coming out of his ears. "You know what? Come to Team Konoha tomorrow night and you'll meet Naruto, Sakura, _and_ Hinata. Neji will be there too. How about that, huh?"

Mikoto, Fugaku stared at their son in utter horror, amazing and mortified by the lack of respect Sasuke showed to them. Fugaku was just about ready to slap his son and shout some sense into him when his wife held up her hand to silence him.

"Alright, young man. We will all have dinner at Team Konoha tomorrow night, okay?"

Sasuke jerked away from the table, standing up and walking out of the room, his heart still beating speedily.

How was this meeting going to turn out?

And why _the fuck_ did he do that?

________________________________

"Morning, ya dumb fuck," Naruto said, pulling up next to him, his rusty old Golf making awkward noises. "Need a ride?"

Sasuke just rolled his eyes and opened the door to his best friend's red Golf GTI, the hinges on the car door squeaking in just the right way so Sasuke knew the car was still running fine. Naruto bought the car last year, even though he hadn't started driving yet. This piece of crap was on sale and Naruto, apparently, _'didn't want it to go to waste'_. Ever since that fateful afternoon when Sasuke was dragged to Naruto's apartment building to see the fucking car it had become their secret hiding place. Even when they couldn't drive, the two would sit there and either get wasted or... just consoled each other. 

Naruto and Sasuke were best friends from the time they were in kindergarten. Ever since Naruto dropped melting crayons into his backpack and messed up all his books. Since then they had been at each others throats and that had gradually brought them closer and by the time they were in Middle School they were attached by the hip. No one had dared to separate them from one another, even the teachers put them in the same class _on purpose_. Normally, Naruto plus Sasuke would equal disaster ~~but~~... never mind - it was a disaster whenever they were together.

They both sometimes confided in each other about their troubles: Sasuke's parents and Naruto's trauma. Naruto's parents died in a car accident when he was six. They were picking him up from school and a truck skidded across the ice from the winter and crashed into their car. Naruto saw the whole thing and he would never forget it. Sometimes Naruto would break down from having constant flashbacks and just needed Sasuke to hold him. And that's exactly what he did. Other times Naruto would start hyperventilating in class and Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura and Hinata had to hold him down to get the nurse to inject the tranquilizer into his neck.

Sasuke would blab to Naruto at times too and Naruto would then attempt to hold him. Attempt. Sasuke had always been a shy and private person, even when he was four. Yet, somehow, Naruto, a loud-mouth prankster, wanted to hang out with him. It was extraordinary, but Sasuke didn't question it. He was just happy to have a friend like Naruto, even if he couldn't admit it to his face.

"Hey, my parents are coming to the restaurant tomorrow. They don't think your real. You okay with it?" Sasuke asked, his backpack lodged firmly between his legs.

"Wow! Meeting your parents _already_? It's only been twelve years! Don't you think it's too soon?" Naruto said, his eyebrows wiggling mockingly.

"Shut up, Usuratonkachi. It's not only you, you know. Hinata, Neji and Sakura are working tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. Too bad Neji and Hinata have separate teams so you might not be able to see them."

"No. My parents like to eat early, so no one will be there to make use of Team 11 and Team 8. No one will be there for them to serve so my parents will see them."

"Huh, you've got this _all_ planned out. D'ya think Hinata'll be okay to meet your parents? She's super shy," Naruto said, turning the curb to their school.

"Yeah, I know. I've known since Middle School just how shy she was," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes.

Naruto pulled up to their school, the giant building looming over them. Every day of school they dreaded. They were taunted and teased, mainly because they were outcasts. Mainly because they were the most unique 'clique' in their school. Their group consisted of a hot nerd, a blabbering blonde bimbo, a shy loner, a self-conscious cherry blossom, a grumpy, yet hot, Junior and a teacher. Everywhere they went there were always people who had to stifle their laughs or bite back words. No one knew that everything they did was just an act. No one knew of the silent torture they were enduring.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nagareboshi by HOME MADE is the first ending song for Naruto Shippuden.  
> Hinata's name means sunflower.


	2. Haunted Look

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter - often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter - in the eye."
> 
> -Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Red paint covered the walls of Konoha Academy, like blood splatters. They said red symbolized the sun, but Naruto always said that yellow symbolized the sun. In Eqyptian Mythology it is said that red is the colour of evil, because the sand in the desert was red and nothing ever grew there. Naruto believed that too. 

Sasuke and he got out of the car, both slamming the door in the process. They both despised this place; the only thing that kept them going was each other and their group of friends. They were like the shining stars in the dark caverns of their minds. He knew that they would always be there for each other, because there was no one else for them to go to. 

Sitting on the bench in front of the school was their four significant others. Neji was sitting up ridgidly, his colourless eyes roaming, as if searching for someone or something. Next to him was his cousin, Hinata, her head ducked down so no one would notice her.

Sakura was sitting on the edge of the bench, her pink hair whipping in the wind, occasionally flying into her mouth. Kakashi as sitting next to her, slouching lazily with his book in his hand.

"Mornin'!" Naruto said happily, walking over to his group. 

"Morning, N-Naruto, S-Sasuke," Hinata stuttered, dipping her head further down. 

Neji nodded his head in acknowledgment. 

Sakura smiled brightly, yet her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Though, never did. Sakura always tried best to stay upbeat and happy and the play generally worked - for most people. Naruto and her friends always knew when she was unhappy. It was like a Sixth Sense. 

Kakashi gazed up at the duo and blinked. In Kakashi Language it was a warm welcome. 

"Let's go inside! The wind is killing me!" Naruto said, trying to keep his papers from falling everywhere. "Kakashi, don't you have to go open your class?"

"You know, we're technically at school, so you should call me 'Kakashi-sensei'," Kakashi said, lifting his eyebrows in a questioning manner. 

"Pfft, whatever."

The group walked inside, they're heads dipped slightly. They tried to ignore the hideous comments, but it always managed to get to them. If only they could see the haunted look in their eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I understand this chapter is short, but please bear with me! I did this on my phone so cut me some slack! The meeting will definitely be on the next chapter!


	3. See Past the Fake Smiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "All it takes is a beautiful fake smile to hide an injured soul and they will never notice how broken you truly are."  
> -Anonymous.

Sakura opened her grey steel locker, her hands shaking slightly. She didn't know why they did that. Was she nervous for something? Was there a big test she forgot about - that her subconscious was warning her about? No. Maybe it was just the cold. Maybe it was the window above her locker blowing in cold air? Or maybe it was just the fact that she was in school. The fact that her locker was next to Yamanaka Ino's. Her former best friend. The same best friend that taunted and bullied her. The pink cherry blossom hoped and prayed every day that the blonde wouldn't come to her locker. She prayed everyday that the blonde wouldn't come and torment her for her huge forehead and her natural pink hair. She didn't know _why_ they did it, why _she_ did it. What had Sakura ever done to Ino?

Sakura sighed and pulled out her Science textbook, stuffing it into her frayed bag. Before she closed her locker she looked at her schedule. History for an hour and then she could go home. She smiled a tiny smile; Kakashi taught History and he never allowed Ino or anyone to do or say anything to her. He was amazing like that. Sakura slammed her locker shut and started to walk to her History class, her feet making no noise, so as not to attract attention. She had mastered the art of concealment by the time she was thirteen. She had no friends by the time she was twelve, so training to be a ninja was next on her list. Even after Sakura met Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, Neji and Kakashi she still felt the need to be hidden. It had become a daily ritual.

The cherry blossom opened the door to Kakashi's classroom, disturbed by the fact that she wasn't the first one there. In fact, there were several people here already. And it annoyed her. None of her friends had History at the same time as her, so she sat in the front alone. In all her other classes, where none of her friends were in, she sat at _the back_ alone, but in Kakashi's class she felt safer in the front. She always got to class first, so as to secure her seat. Now, by a cruel twist of events, her seat was stolen. By Ino and her annoying boyfriend Sai.

Ino waved at Sakura, an inhuman smile playing on her lips. Sai looked at her, a perfectly clueless smile plastered on his pale face. Sakura didn't really have a problem with Sai, except for the fact that he was rude, clueless and just downright annoying. She really didn't see what Ino saw in the pale-faced fucktard.

Sakura bite down a snarky remark and walked to the back of the classroom to the last two-man desk. She put her ratty backpack on the seat next to her and took out her books, her hand shaking not-so-subtly. Was it from anger? Or was she still scared for her life and mental capability? She didn't really understand her own emotions. Scratch that. She just didn't understand her emotions. Or anyone's for that matter. She couldn't read peoples facial expressions very well. That's what got her to having a fake friend of four years. She could never tell what Ino was thinking and that was what caused her ultimate death.

The bell rang and only ten minutes later did Kakashi walk in, book in hand and a dull look in his eye. When his one eye traveled to the seat occupied by Ino and Sai, a glint of surprise wriggled itself into Kakashi's free eye. Kakashi always wore a dark blue bandana over his left eye, which was a transplant from his friend when he was thirteen. Kakashi had been in an accident and Obito, Kakashi's friend, gave him his eye. Obito had light brown eyes that looked suspiciously like red. It disturbed people, so he covered it up.

"This is new," Kakashi said, eying the front seat. He brought his eye up to Sakura and gave her the look that said, _meet me after class_. She got that look quite often.

Kakashi walked to his desk and said, "Turn to page _three hundred and ninety-four_."

With a flurry of pages, everyone turned to the sheet filled with questions on the Greeks and why they conquered Egypt. A groan echoed through the class, followed by a seemingly harmless chuckle by Kakashi. But Sakura could see through it. She could see the pain hiding behind the smiled, the laughter, the irritation. Raw pain. All the painful memories from his childhood hiding deep within himself. All the sadness, the anger and all the loneliness. Kakashi had friends. Friends who were ten years younger than him. He was happy, but not completely. He longed for his father and his best friends back. He _needed_ someone. Someone. Someone to comfort him. To hold him. To console him. Otherwise he would never be sane again.

________________________________

After the last student left the classroom Sakura stood up, bag in hand and walked to the front of the classroom where Kakashi was still wiping off the lesson's work from the board. She plopped down on his comfy black teacher's chair, dumping her bag on the floor. She swiveled around on his chair, taking off her tie in the process. 

"So what was that all about?" Kakashi asked, still wiping off the work.

"I got here after those little fuckers did and they stole my seat," Sakura said, her teeth gritted and fists clenched.

Though it may be a surprise, Sakura had some _serious_ anger issues. Somehow, through a magical force, she managed to contain it - that is, until the perpetrators were removed from the room. Then she would go around punching everything and screaming, a theatrical madness in her eyes. The only people who could  _tame the beast_ , so to speak, was Kakashi, Naruto and the tranquilizers used by Nurse Camilla. When Sakura was around, it was never a dull day.

"Hmm... I guess there's a first for everything," Kakashi said, who finished with wiping the board and was now searching through the stacks of papers on his desk.

"You know, you should just give me the keys. That way I can be in class first _and_ can do your grading and finish it in time."

"If you grade these pop quizzes then I might consider it."

Sakura smirked and looked at her watch. "Oh, crap! Sorry, I need to go to work. We're all meeting Sasuke's parents."

Sakura stood up and grabbed her black tie (no pun intended) and her backpack. She brushed her pink hair aside and started walking to the door, when a voice stopped her.

"Sakura!" She turned around and just managed to catch the keys that was hurled at her.

When she looked close enough she saw that the blue tag dangling from it was labelled "Spare". 

"Thanks, Kakashi," Sakura said, turning back, a small unnoticeable smile playing on her lips .

Sakura practically skipped out of the classroom.

________________________________

Sasuke tied the black apron over his black work pants, his head slightly foggy. His parent's were coming to the restaurant he worked at. This was the first time they had _ever_ taken action to the promises they made. It was quite a huge blow to his sanity. Sasuke was already on the brink of madness and this was probably the last straw. Before someone could say 'I knew it', Sasuke would be eating pudding in the closest mental institution around.

Suddenly the black-haired duck-butt heard a loud crash coming from the end of the men's lockers. The Uchiha looked at the end of the hallway, half-expecting a teenage mutant ninja turtle to pop out and start attacking him. He really hoped it was Leonardo. He loved Leonardo. Everyone loved Leonardo. Well, except for the idiots who liked Raphael. As Sasuke continued contemplating which ninja turtle would pop out, when a certain blonde hopped out from the side of the lockers.

"Hey, dipshit," Naruto said, wiggling his eyebrows. "Nervous for this meeting with your parents?"

"No," Sasuke snorted, rolling his eyes. "Where's Neji?"

"He's out already and we should be too. Come on." Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm and dragged him outside.

As Naruto said, Neji was outside - along with Hinata, Sakura and the rest of Neji's team - TenTen and Lee. Neji didn't really co-operate with his team...

"So, when are your folk-" Sakura was cut off by the bell ringing, signaling a new customer had entered.

All eyes turned to the three Uchiha's standing at the doorway, their superior aura and cocky manner evident by the way they stood and the way they stuck their noses in the air. The shortest of the three looked around, her black eyes showing his disgust and amusement. Mikoto's eyes finally found Sasuke and, once again, she plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Sasuke!" The female Uchiha started to walk towards her son.

Almost immediately, Sasuke pushed Naruto and Sakura to the front. Mikoto raised her eyebrows, while still managing to keep her counterfeit smile on her face. It was a skill. 

"Mother, this is Fishcake and Cherry Blossom," Sasuke said, the irritation clear in his voice.

"Oh? So they were real?" Mikoto said, shaking each of their hands. "Tell me - is Sasuke paying you to be his friends?"

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other, deepening their frowns. What was happening? Was this how normal parents acted? Or did Sasuke's parents really think their son had no friends? Did they really have _this little_ faith in their son? Just - why? What the _hell_ was wrong with these people?

"No... Sasuke and I have known each other since kindergarten," Naruto said, rubbing his hands against his apron to get the sweat off.

"Oh? And you live alone?" Mikoto asked her smile fading a little bit.

"Yes."

"And you like ramen and orange?"

"Yes."

"And you were born on October the 10th?"

"Yes..." Naruto was scared now. Was this lady his stalker?

Mikoto just smiled and greeted the others, her mind slightly puzzled. Did her son _really_ have friends? And how come he never told them? Was he ashamed of them? They looked pretty normal to her. Unless they were all knife-wielding psycho-maniacs at night. But - how could her son have such  _normal_ friends? He was supposed to be the shy, private ant-social nerd who could never live up to his genius brother. What in the world was happening? Why was Sasuke and his friends normal teenagers?

Little did Mikoto know that they were almost the exact opposite. She didn't know that each of them had a sad and lonely life that they kept secret from everyone except themselves. She didn't know the trauma each of them went through every single day. She didn't know the pain they had from past memories and the fresh wounds that was inflicted everyday. She didn't know of Naruto and Kakashi's trauma. She didn't know of Neji's undying hatred. She didn't know of Hinata and Sakura's newly opened wounds that people would casually throw salt upon. She didn't even know the sadness lurking in her own son's heart. She didn't know anything. If only she could see past the fake smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page three hundred and ninety-four, Harry Potter reference (Snape).  
> Leonardo - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.


	4. Painful Memories Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The worst memories stick with us, while the nice ones always seem to slip through our fingers."  
> -Rachel Vincent, My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers, #2)

Itachi looked over at his younger brother standing next to his blonde friends, their bodies abnormally close. The all American boy - Naruto, was it? – leant over and whispered something in the Uchiha’s ear. Sasuke just raised his eyebrows and looked away, trying to hide a smirk. The two boys looked rather close – in Itachi’s point of view.

He considered pointing it out to his mother and father, but voted against it; he didn't want to accentuate another one of his brother's flaws, giving his parents yet another reason to make fun of him.

“That blonde and Sasuke seem to be pretty close, don’t you think?” Fugaku said, taking a sip of his sparkling water.

It seemed that Itachi got his observation skills from his father. Mikoto raised her eyebrows and looked at her son and his yellow-haired ‘friend’. They did seem oddly close. A bit too close for best friends. Was there something she didn’t know – about them? Was Sasuke keeping something from her? Was this how he was supposed to act? Itachi was never like this…

Then she stopped. Why was she thinking this? When had she turned into a cruel, judgemental, witch? When had she turned into something so similar to her husband? Was she just doing this to savour their marriage? Mikoto knew she was almost the complete opposite of Fugaku – so why was she thinking these thoughts? Was Sasuke’s behaviour her fault? Was the reason her boy was lashing out her fault? Uchiha Mikoto blinked and shook her head of these thoughts.

The mother of two looked at her youngest, his face as impassive as ever. They say the eyes were the windows to the soul. Mikoto had never been the best a reading people, but what she saw in the young Uchiha was a deep chasm of dark loneliness. A chasm that ran so deep – a chasm that no one could ever return from.

In Mikoto’s eyes her little boy just looked miserable and isolated. Then – she saw something… A glint of light in those black eyes, which returned whenever they were cast upon the fair-haired youth. It was as if Sasuke had finally found the person he wanted to share all his true feelings with. It was as if Sasuke was a lost ship trying to find its way home and Naruto was the lighthouse that guided him to shore.

_________________________________

Sasuke sighed, leaning his back against the red walls of Team Konoha. His boss had made him clean up and close up the restaurant. He didn’t know what he did to piss the guy off, but apparently ‘he deserved this’.The raven went around, checking if everything was in order and seeing that everyone was out. He was just about to go the front door and close up when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. Sasuke frowned and walked towards it.

It was a yellow jacket. A child’s yellow jacket. The jacket was tiny; Sasuke would barely be able to fit his arm in it. The yellow made the jacket stand out – not like a mustard yellow, no, it was a bright yellow. Almost as yellow as the Sun…

_Green grass, a yellow Sun, colourful swing sets, children playing everywhere, smiles on everyone’s faces. The day was beautiful and three year-old Sasuke was happy. Playing in the park with his brother, while his mother and father watched from the bench, Sasuke was in high spirits._

_Sitting on the blue swing set, his legs dangling in the air, a smile on his face. This was the day he would always remember, because it was the day he realised that his parents didn’t really love him._

_“Nii-san! Higher! Higher!” Sasuke squealed, giggling._

_Itachi carried on pushing him until he was high in the air, his black locks getting in his face. Sasuke had then decided to stand up, being the daredevil that he was. As the swing went to its highest, he jumped. The wind blowing through his hair, the exhilarating feel of flying through the air.Then reality hit him –_ hard _. His small body hit the ground with a resounding thud. For a few minutes, Sasuke just laid there and looked at the sky, wondering what went wrong._

_“Sasuke!” Itachi came running up to him, kneeling down to scoop him into his arms._

_Then the tears began to come. Rolling down his cheeks, making his face flush red. Snot running from his nose. And then came the wailing. All in all – Sasuke was crying. Crying on his brother’s shoulder. Fugaku and Mikoto came running towards them, a worried frown on his mother’s face and just a frown on his father’s. His mother patted Sasuke’s back comfortingly, and then proceeded to take him from his brother._

_“Aw, it’s okay, sweetie. Shh…” Mikoto said, rubbing his back._ Yes, back then she used to be sweet.

_Fugaku’s frown turned into a scowl. “What kind of idiot does that? What kind of idiot jumps off a swing – and then cries like a baby?”_

_Sasuke stopped crying almost immediately. He looked at his father with big eyes. “Daddy?”_

_His father looked back at him with disgust. “You are a disgrace. You are useless to me.”_

_Fugaku shook his head and started walking away._

_Green grass, a yellow Sun, colourful swing sets, children playing everywhere, smiles on everyone’s faces. The day was beautiful and three year-old Sasuke was finally shown the truth. He was shown how much his father truly hated him. He was shown how utterly useless he was._ Useless _._

________________________________ 

_Autumn leaves shone brightly, even in the daylight. On every street they passed there was a tree with pools of golden and red leaves around its roots. The wind always making them float away with it; making it glide through the air and sail beautifully – turning it into a mini tornado. Obito had always preferred winter over autumn, mainly because he loved snow. Apparently, he had always loved to play in it as a child. That was how his obsession started. It was unhealthy, in Kakashi’s point of view._

_The Uchiha gripped his steering wheel like it was his life line, turning the curb into a deserted street. He had just learnt to drive. You can imagine how he was doing now._

_“Are you sure we should go get Rin?” A thirteen year old Kakashi said, sitting in the passenger seat._

_“Yes! We have to!” The sixteen year old Obito said through clenched teeth._

_While distracted by his younger friend, Obito wasn’t looking at the road. He hadn’t realised he had slipped into the second lane. The lane where the opposite cars came driving. He hadn’t realised that he was speeding towards a huge truck carrying cement._

_He only realised when he crashed._

_Tiny cement blocks came raining down on them, denting the car and falling everywhere. Then the thirteen year old probably did the stupidest thing – he looked up. A cement block then fell directly on his left eye. “Ow!” Kakashi gave a pained cry.“There’s cement in my eye. I can’t open it!”_

_Obito ignored his friend – he had more important things to deal with – like falling cement. And one fell on Kakashi’s head – knocking him out. Obito looked up from where he was trying to open the door. What he saw was utterly mortifying; a huge piece of cement was coming down upon them. In a panic, Obito grabbed Kakashi and kicked the door open, hoping to get out with his friend._

_But he was wrong._

_He got the tiny silver-haired boy out, but he wasn’t fast enough to completely avoid the tumbling block. The huge piece of cement crashed down upon the car – and Obito, crushing his right side. Kakashi opened his eyes to see smoke coming from – where? He rolled over, to a crouching position. His grey eyes looked around in a frantic haze – until they finally landed on his friend crushed underneath a cement block. Kakashi’s eyes widened and he stared at his crushed friend, the horror displayed clearly on his face._

_Nohara Rin lived a few houses down and when she heard a crash and several noises, the brunette decided to get up and see what was happening. When she got there she was shocked and panicked. Her two friends were part of the crash – and one of them was crushed beneath a cement block. Rin rushed to Kakashi’s side, her heart still racing._

_“W-What happened?” Rin asked, her eyes swelling with tears._

_“None of that now, Rin,” Obito said, rolling his eye.“You know, Kakashi, I never did give you a present for getting promoted to G-Grade Eleven.”_

_He then pointed to his eye and smiled. “I’ll give you my eye. Rin, y-you must make your aunt – th-that one – the d-doctor – she must transplant the eye, okay?”_

_“Obi-“_

_“O-Okay?” Obito said, choking up._

_Rin nodded, the tears falling now._

_“Kakashi, no matter what other people must say, you-you’re a great person. You’re great._ Great.  _Great, okay?_ ” _Kakashi bent his head and the tears started to fall._

_This guy gave his life for him. They had only just started to get along. Why? Why?! He banged his fist on the ground, the crying visible to any passer-by._

_“Rin! Go get the ambulance!” Kakashi screamed, his head still lowered. “Go!”_

_The Nohara ran off, and Obito watched her fade into the distance._

_“Kakashi,” he turned to his dying fried, whispering to him. “You must p-protect Rin, o-okay?”_

_Kakashi nodded, banging his fist on the ground. He heard a sigh and suddenly Obito’s laboured breaths stopped. He was gone. He was gone._

_Obito was gone._

Kakashi woke up with a start, sweat on his forehead and his breaths strenuous. Why did he have to remember that? Why did he have nightmares of the day he watched his friend die. Why did he have to go through this torture? Why did he have to remember the day he lost the one person who changed his life? Why did his mind make him remember the days that were no more? Why this agony? Why did he have to relive those painful memories?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Obito is older than Kakashi (and so is Rin).  
> 


	5. Painful Memories Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What do I do now?
> 
> I didn't think my heart could break any more than it already has.
> 
> The pieces still inside of me feel like broken glass.
> 
> Every time I take a breath, they stab into me.
> 
> It never ends....”  
> ― H.M. Ward

Snow; white and untainted, the symbol of purity. That's why people wear white on their wedding day, right? They like white, right? White is the color of the snow. Everyone loves snow, ne?

But Naruto hates it.

Snow reminds him of that day... the day his life came to a grinding halt. The day he feared most... The day he hated most...

The day he lost his family...

 _The snow fell from the bare trees like angels falling down from heaven, whitening the floor beneath them. Normally, those white trees would have beautiful cherry blossoms blooming on them, but in winter there is no Sun, so they could not bloom. But Naruto found that the snow more than made up for the lack of cherry blossoms. Snow was fun; you could play in it, you could have fights without hurting people AND you get to build a motherfucking snowman. Naruto loved winter. It was his second favorite season, after summer._ _  
_

_The short blonde waited at the front gate of his Elementary School, his cheeks rosy and his whole body clothed in layers upon layers of scarves, jackets and socks. The tiny Uzumaki was wrapped in so many clothes he could barely walk - in fact, he looked so much like a marshmallow many people had tried (and failed) to eat him. Naruto stood there, the snow falling on his cat-eared hat, which went well with his whisker-like scars on his face. It was already 1 o'clock, Mr and Mrs Uzumaki were supposed to pick their son up half an hour ago. But Naruto wasn't in the least bit worried - he just had_ this _much faith in his beloved parents._

_The clock ticked by, and yet still they did not come. Naruto was growing increasingly worried, but then he looked to his right and saw the headlights of a car in the distance. Upon straining  his eyes, he found that it was his father's large SUV and it was coming right for him. The blonde boy could barely contain his excitement when he saw the car driving up to him. Then, something happened._

_The SUV suddenly jolted and lurched forward, moving uncontrollably. The car skidded on the ice below and went crashing into the next parallel road. About then, a huge truck came and crashed into the car - smashing the whole front._

_"Mama! Papa!" Six year-old Naruto came running to the scene, his eyes wide with fright._

_He looked around and saw a smidgen of red hair, he went up and grabbed it, pulling his mother out. Next to her was his father, similar injuries inflicted upon him. Naruto continued to shrug them, over and over. But they just stared up at the sky, their eyes blank and their mouths open - as if they wanted to say something, but weren't given the chance._

_The small child looked at his parents, tears filling up his big baby blue eyes. What was going on? Why weren't Mama and Papa responding? What happened? Naruto continued to shake his parents, his tears dripping down on to their cold faces. They weren't there anymore... They couldn't respond..._

_"I though we were going to the movies..."_

_They weren't alive..._

_They couldn't say, 'I love you' anymore..._

________________________________________

Hinata sighed and walked out of the dining room, her comfy bed clear in her mind. She had just spent a seemingly endless dinner with her father, her sister and Neji. Her father had just ignored her as always - talking only to Hanabi and Neji. It was as if she were invisible. The only person who actually acknowledged her at all was Neji. Now, Neji was about as emotional as a rock, so the only thing he did was glance at and she even managed to get a small smile out of him.

Sometimes the young Hyuuga wished she had been born different. That she had been born stronger, smarter... and less like her mother. People had always said she looked a lot like her mother, but that wasn't always a good thing... She knew her father didn't want to be reminded of his late wife, and that's what Hinata based his hatred of her on...

_Cherry petals fell to the ground in the warm spring air, dropping elegantly and without a sound. It's sad though, because they fall so quickly... Just like Hinata's tears. Hinata looked at the trees shedding their flowers, a calm settling over her, even though there were tear stains on her cheeks.  
_

_Her father had just taken Hanabi to go and see the fireworks, an award for her great work. Hanabi had never been interested in her namesake, but Hinata had always been. And Hyuuga Hiashi knew that. Hinata had asked to come with, but all she got was cruel words._

_"Disgusting."_

_"Weak."_

_"Worthless."_

_"Good for nothing."_

_"I wish you had never been born."_

_Hinata wished she had never been born either. She wished she wouldn't have been born so that she wouldn't have to take every blow that her father threw at her._

_Her only save haven was the gardens. The gardens that her mother tended to ever so dearly. It was the one thing that connected her to her mother. Her mother had been a kind, gentle soul that managed to love everyone - including the strong, fierce Hiashi. Though many may not have seen it, but her mother was powerful in her own way. She had courage and the will to live._

_In those ways, Hinata was nothing like her mother. She was a coward and she saw no reason for her life to continue further. She had tried to take her life many times, but was always stopped - by fear._

_She was a coward._

_Hyuuga Hinata wished she had never been born._

And she still does, because she had good memories - ones of her and her mother tending to the garden and living happily - but they were always clouded by the agonizing ones - where she saw what her father truly thought of her, where she saw how torturous life could be. These bitter recollections were the ones that tore at her heart and mind - the ones that left her gasping for breath. The ones that made her want to step off from the roof of the highest building - so she could fall to the ground and be crushed, freeing her of those memories.

This is what those painful memories did to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hanabi's name means fireworks.


	6. White Became Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Whoever said 'Words won't hurt me'.  
> They're right.   
> Words kill me instead."  
> -Anonymous

It was the weekend. The two days in a week when you don't have to go to work or school - the two days you get to spend as much time with your family as you want. The two days Hinata realized what Hell truly was, over and over again. 

The young Hyuuga looked up at the ceiling, her eyes blank and emotionless. It was Saturday morning and it was time to spend some 'Family Time' with her father and sister. Hiashi says it was a tradition, but in reality it was just another opportunity for him to mock his eldest daughter - to insult her to no ends and show her  _exactly_ how much he hated her. Not that she needed any confirmation. She knew how much her father hated her - and how that horrible fire was passed down to Hanabi. 

Hinata sat up from her futon and kicked off the covers. She walked to her dresser and started to brush her long black hair, trying to get the imaginary knots out of her hair. Slipping on her casual, long-sleeved white kimono and her indoor slippers. The Hyuuga family was quite the traditional one; they lived in a huge traditional mansion with tatami mats and Kotatsus, they  _had_ to wear kimono's and yukata's when eating at the table. Just another reason for Hinata to hate her family with a fiery passion.

When she was done, the young girl heard a soft knock on the door. She slid the door open and found her younger sister standing there, her black kimono contrasting to Hinata's white one. Hanabi was a petite girl with short black hair and the same milky-white eyes as the rest of the family. Hanabi was the concrete opposite of Hinata; Hanabi was confident, smart and most of all stronger. Even though Hanabi was five years younger than her sister, Hiashi had already chosen her as the successor of his company. 

"Father wanted me to tell you that Neji will be joining us today," Hanabi said, her face impassive. 

"A-Ah, yes. S-So I heard," Hinata said, smiling slightly and closing the door. 

The two sisters walked side-by-side (which was very rare indeed) towards the dining room, the silence almost deafening. Hanabi didn't particularly  _like_ her older sister; she found her weak, just like everything else. Whenever Hiashi would turn his cold eyes on his eldest daughter and spit out his cruel words, the eleven year old girl would look on and stare at her onee, her eyes just as cold and calculating as her father's. 

The two arrived at the dining room, the air around them still stifled and tense. Neji and Hiashi sat across from each other, no words being spoken. Neji had a rather  _difficult_ relationship with his uncle. Neji's father was the late twin of Hiashi, Hizashi. Hizashi had died for the company, in place of Hiashi. Neji still held a grudge against his uncle - and his family. 

Hinata kneeled next to Neji and kissed his cheek, "Morning, Neji nii-san."

Her eyes then turned toward Hiashi, "Morning, Father."

Hiashi returned the greeting with a look of disgust. 

The staff brought in the food and they all started eating, silence enveloping the room. This was how most of 'Family Time' went. Silence and solidarity. Where the true colors of the Hyuuga famly came out. The sadness that lurked in their hearts. The horrible hatred in the three prodigies and the loneliness that filled the outsider of the family.

"Neji, how is school? Are you still maintaining that perfect record?" Hiashi asked, his fork cutting into his guava.

"Yes, Uncle," Neji said, his eyes holding strong against Hiashi's.

Then came the worst part; Hiashi turned the eyes of the snake upon his daughter. "Hinata, you should try to be more like Neji. He is top of his grade and you are what? You're lower than that Naruto boy, the one who got suspended. I don't wish to have an idiot as a daughter, even though you are halfway there."

"I'm sorry, Father," Hinata said, looking down at her toast.

"If you continue to be as useless as you are now, then I will wish to disown you."

The tears had started coming already.

"For God's Sake, Hinata! Go and wash your face!" 

The petite girl stood up and ran from the dining room, her tears flying behind her in the wind. She slid the door open to her room and crouched next to the door, choking on her tears and burying her face in her kimono. She hated when she did this, she hated when she became even more weak and fragile than she looked. Sadness enveloped her like a cloak of darkness; obscuring her better judgement and tempting her to do the unspeakable. 

Hinata stood up shakily and went over to her dresser and drew out her crafting knife. Sliding down against the wooden walls of her room, she lifted up the long sleeves of her kimono and raised her knife to strike. And so she did. Cut after cut, she harmed herself further. She poured all her deepest and untold feelings into each slash, her eyes burning.

And so, over and over again, white became red. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update!


	8. Chapter 8

Hi, everyone! This story is currently on hiatus because I have writer's block :(  
If anyone would like to adopt this please contact me :)


End file.
